


Happy Christmas, Ninten!

by Lotus_Blue



Category: Mother : EarthBound Zero
Genre: Christmas, Family, Gen, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-24
Updated: 2014-12-24
Packaged: 2018-03-03 06:11:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2840933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lotus_Blue/pseuds/Lotus_Blue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the last few days before Christmas, and Ninten's anxiously waiting for a new baby brother or sister to come. But when plans take a sudden turn, how will he cope with the oncoming change to his family life? Written for the Starmen.net 2013 Holiday Funfest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Christmas, Ninten!

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> Sorry I haven't posted anything on here for about... well, a year. 2014 was kinda a busy time for me, so I couldn't write anything much, but, since I've just finished a feature-length fic ready for editing, and 2015's chock-filled with plans for more fics (including another long one), I should have something of note to post next year.
> 
> Anyway, after getting another Kudos on "Sweet Dreams", I thought I should at least post something else up here, and something fitting for this time; seeing as it is Christmas Eve and all.
> 
> I wrote this fic for Starmen.net's Holiday Funfest back in 2013 (where it placed third), and, whilst it's got some rough edges, I hope will warm your hearts this Christmas.
> 
> I might try and repolish it for next year, but as of now, in this state, I think it's pretty decent.
> 
> Enjoy and have a Happy Christmas! (as well as an awesome 2015!)

It was a winter wonderland. Every house glowing with the light of a fire, and smoke billowing out of the chimneys. Snow covered everything in a cold blanket of white, under a moonlit indigo sky.

Or it would’ve been so, had he lived further north.

Ninten watched the display in the snow globe, up against a backdrop of a cloudy grey sky, rain beating against the window; hardly the image of a winter wonderland. One day, he’d like to see real snow; perhaps even a white Christmas, much like in the storybook his mother would read to him every Christmas Eve.

“Ninten, don’t stand up on the couch like that.” his mother walked in. “I don’t want you dirtying up the cushions like you did last time.”

He slid down the front of the couch to rest on the cushions, legs dangling above another he had kicked away earlier to reach the windowsill.

She leaned down next to him, placing a glass of water on the side table, and, supporting the weight of her large womb, eased onto the couch to relax herself with her book.

“Mom?”

“Yes?”

“When the baby’s here, can I ride them on Mick?”

“Ninten… You know that’s-” she stifled a laugh. “You can’t do that!”

“What about my room? Do I have to share a room?”

“Maybe. It depends on-”

“What if the baby-”

“Ninten, what are you talking about?”

He turned his gaze to his feet, mouth slammed shut.

“Ninten?”

He stayed silent.

“Okay then,” getting back to her book.

Mick bounded over from the kitchen, seeing the opportunity of (or at least most of) the soon-to-be extended family together. Eying the gap that separated mother and son, he readied himself for a great leap until-

“Oh. Ninten?”

He turned back to his mother.

“The baby’s kicking again. Do you want to feel it?”

Ninten shuffled over to rest his head on her stomach, the coming baby’s kicks beating underneath his hand. A reassuring arm from his mother pulled them closer together, as if trying to make up from the reaction from  
just now; but did little to ease his worries.

And as for Mick; unfortunately, he was now reduced to sleeping on the floor.

**

The whirring chime of his alarm clock woke Ninten up with a start. Rubbing sleepy eyes, he dragged himself out of his warm bed, and opened the curtains to see… yet another wet day. It was futile, but he hoped that today’s weather would at least be somewhat different.

Good thing it was three days before Christmas, however. He slumped himself downstairs for breakfast, yawning all the way.

Mick looked up from his doggy bed to greet him as he turned into the kitchen, expecting to see his mother. But he was met with a surprise.

“Grandmamma?”

“Morning Ninten!” she beamed. “I made you your favourite pancakes for breakfast!”

“Bu-but where’s Mom?”

“She’s going to be fine. Told me to-”

“Where’s Mom?”

She sighed.

“Your papa called me this morning. She woke up, and… felt this pain in her tummy, where the baby was, and had to get to the hospital right away. They think it might be coming sooner than thought.”

Mick let out a long whimper in his doggy bed.

“Oh, you hungry too boy? Let me fix you some breakfast up after I finish Ninten’s.”

She turned her attention back over to the grill cooking the pancakes; but Ninten just stood there, unmoving.

If the baby was coming then that meant…

But he didn’t want to- He wanted-

It finally hit home for him.

**

They didn’t hear too much about her over the next few days; aside from the occasional phone call of his papa letting them know “she was fine”.

Ninten sat by himself with a bowl of leftover cookie dough, done picking little bits out of it to eat, pushed to one side.

They’d tried to get back to some normality today, baking some Christmas cookies and reading the Christmas book, like he and his mother would on Christmas Eve.

None of this made him feel easier, however. Unlike his mother, his grandma wouldn’t let him lick the spoon clean or ice the finished products with the piping bag; he’d had to swipe the bowl from inside the sink whilst she wasn’t looking to get it. And when she read the story, she didn’t describe it in the wondrous, grand way his mother did.

It was never going to be that way again. She was just gonna forget about him, and spend all her time on the baby.

He buried his head into his arms, crying.

“Ninten, honey!” his grandmother came into the kitchen. “I’m gonna get started on dinner now! What do you want?”

He didn’t move an inch.

“Come on, Ninten. Get your head up off the table.”

“Go away.” He mumbled.

“Ninten, come on, what’s this all-”

“Shut up!” he jerked his head back up, almost knocking the bowl onto the floor.

“Ninten! Don’t talk to me in such a way!”

“I don’t want things to change! I wish mom hadn’t gone away! I wish she wasn’t having this stupid baby! I wish I didn’t-” He bawled into her chest.

“Whoa, Ninten. Ninten! Come on” walking him over to the next room.

“Now,” sitting him down on the couch, “what’s this about your mom not having the baby?”

“I want everything back the way it was!”

“Wha… What do you mean?”

“I don’t want her to have the baby!”

“You… You know you don’t really mean that, do you?”

He continued sobbing.

She let out a short sigh. “Look, I know this is going to be a big thing for you,” stroking his short black hair. “It’s all hitting home for you right now, I understand that.

But, it doesn’t matter now. What matters is that you are going to be the best big brother ever. Hey, and don’t worry, nothing’s gonna change between you and your mom. You’ll still be able to do all the things you did, but now, you’re gonna have one other person to share it with.”

“What about Mick?”

“Oh er, yes, Mick too. Maybe.”

“Grandmamma, will mom be home for Christmas?”

“I’m not sure, but -”

The phone rang across back in the kitchen.

“I guess that’ll be your papa. Hang on.”

She padded over to receive the call.

“Hello? Oh my! That’s wonderful news! We’ll come right away! We’ll be seeing you soon!” putting the phone down.

“Ninten! Get your coat on!”

“Why?”

“Well, looks like Santa’s got you an early Christmas present!”

**

Ninten’s shoes clapped against the pristine tiles lining the hospital corridor, his cool, wet hand grasping tight to his grandmother’s. The strong smell of disinfectant caught his nose, leading him to squeeze it shut with his free hand, a funny sight for the staff passing by.

Close ahead, he saw the familiar sight of his papa, dressed in a casual jumper and blue jeans.

“Oh hey, you’re here!”

“We came as soon as we heard.”

“Papa, why’d Santa bring my present here?”

“Well, you’ll have to come in here to see!”

He clicked the door open to the sight of his mother, sound asleep.

“Mom!” bounding over to her side, “Mom, wake-”

Ninten’s papa shushed him. “Not now, she’s got to rest.”

“But where’s my present? Why can’t mom wake up?”

He led him up to a large, box-like thing beside her bed, and hoisted him up to peer down.

Two babies with identical faces, asleep.

“It was a bit of a shock when we found out. Meet your new little sisters; Mimmie and Minnie.”

The one closest to him, then her sister next to her, opened up their eyes to look at him.

“My… two… little… sisters…”

He put his arm around his son.

_“Happy Christmas, Ninten!”_


End file.
